


Kotep Verd'ner

by emocezi



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Feels, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:54:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22074343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emocezi/pseuds/emocezi
Summary: He sees them, wrapped around each other in the bunk he and Rex share.Fuck.Cody backs out, hard and fast, pressing the button to shut the door before the can notice him and leaving, body shaking from  mix of shock and anger.Rex knows. Rex knows what he feels for his Jedi. It hurts. Hurts worse than being hit with a blaster without armor, hurts worse than learning of Slicks betrayal of his brothers.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 5
Kudos: 129





	Kotep Verd'ner

**Author's Note:**

> Have some angst!!!

He sees them, wrapped around each other in the bunk he and Rex share.

Fuck.

Cody backs out, hard and fast, pressing the button to shut the door before the can notice him and leaving, body shaking from mix of shock and anger.

Rex knows. Rex knows what he feels for his Jedi. It hurts. Hurts worse than being hit with a blaster without armor, hurts worse than learning of Slicks betrayal of his brothers.

Cody goes to the messhall first, and when his mind won’t stop replaying Rex’s desperate groan and Obi-Wan’s quiet chuckle he goes down to the lower levels, not bothering to tape his wrists and hands before he goes to work on the heavy bag.

He beats it until his hands are bloody and broken and hurt as much as he does inside. It helps, focusing on them.

The door opens and a few members of the 501st walk in, laughing among themselves. Their laughter falls away when they see Cody and they move to him in unison.

“Commander.”

“Are you alright?”

“ Sir. Your hands.”

“I’m fine.” Cody rasps. He doesn’t look up, can’t. If he sees Rex’s colours he thinks he might choke the life out of the men wearing them.

_Jedi don’t have attachments._ That’s what General Kenobi had told him before.

_Attachments._ Like he thinks Cody is going to turn into some dewy eyed cling-on from the old holos, who can’t do his fucking job when it counts.

_Attachments._ He should have just said what he’d meant. That Cody wasn’t the clone he’d wanted.

He takes a shuddering breath and turns, making himself look at the 501st troopers. "I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.“

“Sir. You should go see Sawbones.” One of them says. It’s a trooper he doesn’t recognize, probably fresh off Kamino.

Cody doesn’t justify that with a response, just pushes past the men and leaves. His hands are throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He clenches his fists, clenching his teeth to hold back the scream that wants to erupt from the pain of broken bones grinding in his fingers.

It’s Wolffe who comes across him first. He takes one look at Cody and grabs his arm, hauling him down the hallway to the medbay. "What the fuck did you do to yourself?“

"I fucked up my hands.” Cody says, voice calm and collected and emotionless. "I was on my way to see Sawbones.“

"That’s a load of bantha-shit.” Wolffe says, fingers digging into Cody’s arm tight enough that he’ll wear bruises. "I don’t know where you were going, but it wasn’t to get your hands fixed.“

"It’s not like they haven’t been broken before.” Cody says, feeling white hot rage erupting through him. "It’s not like every single part of me hasn’t been broken before.“

"What happened?” Wolffe stops, pressing him back into a small private area where they'll be out of the way. 

“Nothing happened.” Cody tries to snarl but his voice breaks. 

“Talk to me, Vod.” Wolffe’s voice is gentle and he reaches up to cup Cody’s face, running a hand over the scar he’d personally stitched up after Cody had sliced open his face during Officer training.

“I saw them.” Cody’s voice is barely above a whisper and he squeezes his eyes shut. "I saw them. Rex and Kenobi.“

"That gutless Genosian worm.” Wolffe whispers, a hard edge to his voice.

“I went to him before.” Cody whispers it. "He told me no, that Jedi didn’t have attachments. But he didn’t want me. I forgot what I was, Wolffe. I forgot I was just a stupid fucking Clone who was born to die for this fucking war.“ Cody’s voice hitches and Wolffe swears quietly. 

"Kotep verd'ner.” Wolffe murmurs and guides Cody’s head against his shoulder. "I’m so sorry he hurt you.“

He doesn’t know what to say to make this better. Cody is the best of them. Kenobi handpicked him out of five thousand CC units to take the place of Marshall Commander. If it would help, Wolffe would cut Rex and the General down with blaster fire. But they’re needed for the cause, and Clones aren’t given special treatment.

Cody doesn’t cry, even though his breath hitches, face pressed against Wolffe’s shoulder. He hasn’t shed a tear since he was six years and a misstep in a live fire exercise almost blew his leg off.

Instead, he lets himself have five minutes to fall apart and then puts himself back together, compartmentalizing the way he’s learned how to over his years of training and service. 

He pulls back from Wolffe, giving his brother a nod. "I’m okay. Thank you.” 

“Come on.” Wolffe says, pressing their foreheads together. "Let’s go to medical and get you patched up.“ Cody nods and follows Wolffe down the hallway and into the lift.

————————————

He has his hands soaking in bacta, fingers held in splints when Obi Wan walks into the medbay. He’s fresh and clean and all but glowing and Cody shuts himself down hard and fast so Obi Wan won’t pick up anything from him.

"Cody. I heard you injured yourself.”

“Forgot to tape up my fingers, sir.” Cody says simply, freezing himself in place when he sees the intention written in every line of Obi Wan’s body to reach out and squeeze his shoulder. A move he’s done a thousand times before, and one Cody has always welcomed.

“You should be more careful.” Obi Wan says. "I wouldn’t want to replace you.“ 

The logical side of his brain knows the General is joking. The emotional side is a seething, roiling mass of rage and hurt.

"Yes sir.” Cody agrees in lieu of screaming at his General that he’s already been replaced.

Obi Wan frowns at him, patting his shoulder, like he can’t figure out what’s going on with his Commander. "Have you eaten yet?“

"No sir.” He’s not sure he could stomach food right now.

“I’ll have someone bring you a tray then.” 

“I’m not hungry, sir.”

“Not-Cody, what’s the matter?” Obi Wan crouches down so he’s level with Cody’s line of vision. "What happened?“ His voice is soft, gentle, filled with concern.

"I saw you.” Cody says, words coming out in a flash of rage and venom he didn’t manage to suppress. Obi Wan’s eyes go wide and he looks guilty, blue-green iris’ flicking away from Cody’s angry amber ones.

“Oh. I’m so-”

“I don’t want your fucking apology.” Cody says and then forces his rage back, locking it up with the rest of his useless emotions. "I’m sorry for my outburst. It won’t happen again.“

"Cody. I’m sorry. I’m your General, your commanding officer. It’s not something that’s done.”

“Understood sir.” Cody says and then dismisses Obi Wan, turning back to look at Sawbones who’s doing his best to pretend he hasn’t been listening in. "Am I done?“

"Keep the bacta packs I gave you on for the rest of the night.” Sawbones says, waving him off. "And don’t punch anything for a couple of days.“

"Thanks.” Cody nods and stands, waiting for Obi Wan to move out of his way so he can leave the room. He pauses at the doorway, looking back at Obi Wan who manages to look both crushed and hopeful. "I’m giving Captain Rex his own quarters. I’ll let you give him that news, General.“

"Cody.” Obi Wan’s voice is barely a whisper and Cody leaves.

————————————–

The paperwork has barely been processed when Rex finds him, looking angrier than Cody has ever seen him.

“My own quarters?” He demands it and Cody doesn’t even look up from where he’s filling out reports of the last mission. "I don’t want my own quarters.“

"I don’t particularly care what you want right now, _Captain._ ” 

“Who shoved a blaster up your ass?” Rex asks, taking off his bucket and moving to stand beside Cody, frowning down at his still splinted fingers. "Manda'ner, what did you do to your hands?“

"I beat the shit out a heavy bag two hours ago without taping my hands.” Cody says and beside him Rex goes still. "That’s what happened.“ He swivels in his chair, looking up at Rex who looks embarrassed and ashamed. "I don’t want whatever bullshit apology you’re trying to think up. Give me twenty four hours and I’ll be fucking happy for you. But right now, I want to put a blaster in your mouth and empty the cartridge.” Rex goes pale and takes a step back.

“I’m sorry Cody.” He says it quietly, then picks up his bucket and leaves.

Cody lets out a shaking breath and goes back to filling out paperwork, noting the number of clones who had fallen in the last mission and comparing it to their last few. He notes that they didn’t lost as many this time and that this batch of shinies doesn’t need as much training a the last batch did.

—————————

Cody carries on. It’s what he’s good at. It’s why he was hand selected to become a Marshall Commander. He has exquisite control, a solid temperament that never falters, and the ability to compartmentalize the sort of things that would make a lesser clone eat his blaster.

Rex and Obi Wan hurt him deeply. But it’s nothing he can’t handle. He shuts down, cuts off the bond that he and Rex shared, but keeps the one that ties him to his General. It’s useful when locating the man in battle.

As much as he tries to tear it out of him, he’ll always love Obi Wan. And when Order 66 comes down the line, Cody is still enough of himself to choose the cannon with the misaligned barrel.

Obi Wan will live. 

That’s all that matters.


End file.
